Where is a better place to sit/stand at the Allstate Arena?

September 4, 2012 10:26 AM

I have two sets of tickets for Smashing Pumpkins at Allstate Arena and now I am trying to figure out which seats are the "better" seats in terms of having a pleasant concert experience which, for me, means being able to see at least part of the stage for most of the show and hearing the songs played loud through my really nice earplugs.

Sometimes I am REALLY BAD at the Internet. So now I have a set of tickets on the floor (section G5, seats 193-194) and a set of tickets in the lower level section (section 113, row C, seats 1-2). I went to the Allstate Arena when I was really little and it was still called the Rosemont Horizon for Chicago Wolves hockey games, but that is a completely different thing and I can't remember what the place looks like inside. The virtual tour on the arena's website is not very helpful. Having to stand for 4 hours is not a problem for me, and I also don't mind sitting. So, people of MetaFilter - which would you choose?

(Note: the Smashing Pumpkins are my favorite band in the entire whole world and have been for...16ish years. I was way young when I got into them, then they broke up and broke my heart, and I was finally able to see them when they toured last year at the Riv in Chicago. This tour I am seeing them twice - St. Louis and Chicago - because WHO KNOWS with Billy Corgan, they could break up again.)

posted by sc114 to sports, hobbies, & recreation (4 answers total)

I highly suggest section 113 row C .. that way you can see over people's heads and have a clear view of the stage. I've been to concerts at Allstate Arena and have experienced both floor and lower level seating. Lower level seating is the absolute best! You have great tickets!

Enjoy!
posted by xicana63 at 11:26 AM on September 4, 2012 [1 favorite]

This seating chart seems to suggest that the G5 seats are in the noesebleeds, while the 113 seats are a bit closer. However, it looks like the Allstate (I still think of it as the Rosemont Horizon, too) has several different setups for concerts, so it may depend on the staging.

Have fun!
posted by Terminal Verbosity at 11:34 AM on September 4, 2012 [1 favorite]

It appears that they're using this "end stage" setup, and the G5 thing just refers to what part of the floor you'd be sitting/standing in. (Side note: remember when "general admission - floor" meant just that? You could stand wherever you wanted on the floor? It's odd to me that the Allstate...divides it up now. Maybe it's a safety thing, who knows.)
posted by sc114 at 12:02 PM on September 4, 2012

General admission still means just that. If you look at the Ticketmaster page for the event it shows no sections. The section and seat numbers are just a tracking system / a way to work with standard format pre-printed ticket stock.

If you are comfortable in crowds and want the opportunity to get there early and line up (or push forward) and be close to the stage, then go with the floors. For a band I love to the extent you describe, I would do that. For a band I'm less passionate about, I'd choose the seats for comfort and convenience.
posted by valleys at 1:17 PM on September 4, 2012 [1 favorite]